Sealing device for tubeless tires

ABSTRACT

A sealing device comprising a flexible holding strip having an adhesive layer on a first surface, wherein the strip is configured for attachment to an inner surface of a tubeless tire via the adhesive layer, and a plurality of flexible flags attached to a second surface of the flexible holding strip opposite the first surface, wherein the plurality of flags is attached to the second surface at a fixed widthwise edge of each of the plurality of flags and wherein the plurality of flags are configured to seal a hole in the tubeless tire when the strip is attached to the inner surface of the tubeless tire is provided. Methods of protecting tires by attaching a sealing device are also described.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is generally related to a sealing device for preventing aflat tire caused by a puncture that may be applied to any tubeless tire.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pneumatic tires are utilized on all types of automobiles, trucks,motorcycles and bicycles. They generally are filled with pressurized airor nitrogen in order to provide a smooth ride and accommodate variationsin road surfaces. Tubeless pneumatic tires are designed and manufacturedwith a heavy tread that contacts the road bed surface with a majority ofthe tires having an inner steel belt overlaid with plies of nylon orequivalent liners that cross over the full width of the tire and downits sides and fold into a bead that seals against the vehicle's externalwheel rim. The plies are molded into the tire tread and bead to securethe many layers in place and provide a solid member to apply pressure onthe rim flange that captures the tire and provides a means for sealingit against the rim and preventing escape of the pressurized air thatinflated the tire.

One of the problems encountered with pneumatic tires is deflation causedby inadvertent puncture by road debris, glass, nails and the like. Oncea tire is punctured, the pressurized air escapes and the tire goes flatand cannot be operated as such or receives irreparable damage to thetire and possibly the wheel rim.

There are two widely used technologies that seek to address thisproblem. One solution is to provide a foam that is sprayed into the tirethat will expand and close the puncture. This is usually done after thepuncture has happened and the tire is flat. The disadvantage of the foamsprayed into the tire is that it is not a permanent solution as the foammay solidify after a few weeks. Also, it will cause an imbalance of thetire since the foam will not be spread evenly across the entire interiorof the tire which causes a centrifugal rotation imbalance that will getworse as the speed of the tire rotation increases.

Another solution is to provide a thick gel or rubber coating on theinner side of the tire. When a puncture occurs, the coating will sealthe opening. The disadvantage of the gel or rubber coating is that itusually must be applied by the manufacturer of the tire, meaning, itcomes with the tire and can not be applied to any tire after purchase.

Further, both solutions have the disadvantage of being affected byoperating temperature. Thus, new solutions for the prevention of flattires caused by punctures that overcome the above describeddisadvantages are needed.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the disclosure provides a sealing device, comprising aflexible holding strip having an adhesive layer on a first surface,wherein the strip is configured for attachment to an inner surface of atubeless tire via the adhesive layer, and a plurality of flexible flagsattached to a second surface of the flexible holding strip opposite thefirst surface, wherein the plurality of flags is attached to the secondsurface at a fixed widthwise edge of each of the plurality of flags andwherein the plurality of flags are configured to seal a hole in thetubeless tire when the strip is attached to the inner surface of thetubeless tire.

In some embodiments, each of the plurality of flags is equidistantlydistributed along the second surface. In some embodiments, a freewidthwise edge of a selected flag of the plurality of flags extendsbeyond the fixed widthwise edge of a subsequent flag of the plurality offlags. In some embodiments, the free widthwise edge of a selected flagof the plurality of flags extends 3-5 mm beyond the fixed widthwise edgeof a subsequent flag of the plurality of flags. In some embodiments,each of the plurality of flags is rectangular in shape. In someembodiments, a width of each of the plurality of flags is substantiallyequal to a width of the holding strip. In some embodiments, a distancebetween each fixed widthwise edge of the plurality of flags is within arange of 2-10 cm. In some embodiments, the plurality of flags ismanufactured from polyethylene. In some embodiments, the holding stripis manufactured from rubber.

Another aspect of the disclosure provides a tubeless tire comprising asealing device as described herein attached to an inner surface of thetire.

Another aspect of the disclosure provides a sealing device, comprising aplurality of flexible flags arranged in a stack, wherein a selected flagis attached to a lower subsequent flag in the stack via an adhesivepresent along a fixed widthwise edge of the selected flag and whereinthe plurality of flags are configured to seal a hole in the tubelesstire when the strip is attached to the inner surface of the tubelesstire.

Another aspect of the disclosure provides a method of protecting atubeless tire from punctures, comprising attaching a plurality offlexible flags to an inner surface of the tire via an adhesive arrangedbetween a fixed widthwise edge of the flag and the inner surface,wherein the plurality of flags are configured to seal a hole in thetubeless tire.

In some embodiments, the plurality of flags are arranged on a flexibleholding strip, wherein the flexible holding strip has an adhesive layeron a surface opposite the plurality of flags, and wherein the strip isattached to the inner surface of the tubeless tire via the adhesivelayer. In some embodiments, a protective backing is removed from anadhesive present on the plurality of flexible flags prior to theattaching step. In some embodiments, the attaching step is performedsuch that a free widthwise edge of a selected flag of the plurality offlags extends beyond the fixed widthwise edge of a subsequent flag ofthe plurality of flags.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. Side view of a sealing device according to some embodiments ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 2. Top view of a sealing device according to some embodiments ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 3. Cross-section view of a tire having a sealing device installedaccording to some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 4. A tubeless tire having a sealing device installed according tosome embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 5. Cross-section side view of a tire having a sealing deviceinstalled according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 6. Cross-section top view of a tire having a sealing deviceinstalled according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 7. Illustration of a punctured tire having a flag of a sealingdevice occupying the puncture site according to some embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 8A-C. (a) Stack of flags showing a layer of glue between each flag.There is no protective backing between each strip and the next. (b)Individual flag after peeling from the stack. (c) Enlarged view of thejunction area between the flag and the lower portion where the glue isapplied.

FIG. 9A-C. (a) Stack of flags showing a layer of glue between each flag.A protective backing (9) is added between each strip and the next inthis embodiment. (b) Individual flag after peeling from the stackshowing the protective backing still in place. (c) Enlarged view of thejunction area between the flag and the lower portion where the glue isapplied showing the lower part of the flag, the glue and the protectivebacking.

FIG. 10A-B. (a) top view and (b) bottom view of an individual flag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a sealing device that preventsdeflation of a tubeless tire when punctured. Unlike previous sealingtechnologies, a sealing device as described herein does not use anyliquid, gel or foam for sealing the puncture hole. The device can beapplied to any tubeless tire on any type of vehicle (bicycle, car,truck, etc.) without the need for any special tools, without causingdamage to the tire, and without affecting wheel balancing.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a sealing device according toembodiments of the disclosure comprises a flexible holding strip (2)having an adhesive layer (1) on a first surface of the strip. Aplurality of flexible flags (3) are attached to a second surface of theflexible holding strip opposite the first surface.

The holding strip (2) is made from a light and flexible material suchthat the strip can conform to the shape of the inner surface of a tire.Suitable materials include, but are not limited to, nylon, rubber,cellophane, polymeric film, foil, nonwoven or woven cloth or fabric. Itmay also be made from polymeric films such as polyethylene andpolyester. The holding strip may include a reinforcement layer of wovenor knitted cloth or fabric, etc. It is preferable that the material iseasily puncturable such that a nail or other puncturing means can passthrough the strip to reach the interior of a tire. Thus, when a punctureoccurs, air can escape through the resulting crack or hole which willsuction a flag attached to the strip into the puncture site thusproviding an effective seal.

The width of the holding strip (2) may be substantially equal to theinternal width of the tire to be protected. Thus, different widths ofstrip material may be provided to meet standard internal tire widths inproduction for motorcycles, cars, vans, trucks, etc. Each specific widthmay be provided as a roll which may be cut to a desired length forcovering the inner circumference of the tire to be protected. In someembodiments, pre-cut strips are manufactured for common tire sizes. Forexample, common strip lengths include 635 mm, 724 mm, 775 mm for tiresizes: 195/65R15, 225/65R17, 245/70R17, respectively as shown intable 1. In some embodiments, the thickness of the holding strip isabout 3 mm or less, e.g. 2 mm or less or 1.0 mm or less.

TABLE 1 Strip length for different tire sizes (values obtained from:tyresizecalculator.com/tyre-wheel-calculators/tire-size-calculator-tire-dimensions) Tire Size Strip Length in mm195/65R15 635 225/65R17 724 245/70R17 775

The adhesive layer (1) on the holding strip (2) is configured forattachment of the strip to the inner surface of a tubeless tire. In someembodiments, the adhesive layer covers the entire width and length of asurface of the holding strip. In some embodiments, the adhesive layer iscovered with a nonstick paper backing that can be easily peeled offbefore the application of the strip to the interior of the tire. In someembodiments, the thickness of the adhesive layer is about 2 mm or less,e.g. 1.5 mm or less or 1 mm or less. Preferably, the adhesive has a longshelf life (e.g. 3 years or more) and is water, heat, and coldresistant. It is also preferred if the adhesive remains flexible afterapplication and does not become dry or solid with time. Suitableadhesives include, but are not limited to, acrylic, rubber or siliconebased adhesives. It could be a “pressure-sensitive adhesive” or one thatforms a chemical bond with the tire.

A “pressure-sensitive adhesive” does not stick by forming chemical bondswith the material it is placed on, instead applied pressure forces theglue to penetrate the tiniest microscopic irregularities on thematerial's surface. Once there, it will resist coming back out, thuskeeping the tape stuck in place. The glue “has to be halfway betweenliquid and solid,”: fluid enough to spread under pressure but viscousenough to resist flowing.

The holding strip (2) surface opposite the adhesive layer (1) contains aplurality of flexible flags (3) attached to the strip at a fixedwidthwise edge, thus leaving a portion of the flag that is not attachedto the strip (2). This free portion of the flags will be suctioned intoa hole/crack when a tire puncture occurs. The flags (3) are made from amaterial that is configured to seal a hole in the tubeless tire when thetire and strip have been punctured, e.g. the material used to producesupermarket plastic bags. Suitable materials include, but are notlimited to, polyethylene, nylon, cellophane polyethylene and polyester.In some embodiments, the flags (3) are rectangular in shape. Preferably,the flags (3) are substantially equal to the width of the holding strip(2). In some embodiments, the flags (3) have a length of 10-20 cm, e.g.about 15 cm.

The fixed edge of the flags may be attached to the strip via anadhesive, staple, or other attachment means. In some embodiments, thelength of the fixed edge is about 1-20 mm, thus leaving the majority ofthe flag non-adhered to the strip. In some embodiments, the fixed edgeof each flag is spaced from the subsequent fixed edge of a flag by 2-20cm, e.g. 5-15 cm, e.g. 3 cm. It is contemplated that the fixed edge oflarger flags could have a greater distance between them as long as thespacing is smaller than the height of each flag to allow for someoverlap. In some embodiments, the free non-adhered edge of a flagoverlaps a subsequent flag to cover at least as much as the adheredportion of the adjacent flag. In some embodiments, adjacent flagsoverlap more or less than the adhered portion of an adjacent flag. Insome embodiments, there is 1-20 mm of overlap, e.g. 2-8 mm or 3-5 mm.

Referring to FIGS. 3-6, a sealing device as described herein may beinstalled in the interior surface of a tubeless tire (8). A method ofinstallation may comprise cutting the holding strip (2) to a lengthequal to the inner circumference of the tire to be protected. Ifpresent, the protective backing on the strip (2) may be removed toexpose the adhesive surface (1). The adhesive surface is then placed onthe inner side of the tire (4). In some embodiments, the device may beplaced onto an inner surface of the tire sidewall (5). In someembodiments, a tire may be provided with the sealing devicepre-installed.

With reference to FIG. 7, if there is a puncture in the tire (8), theair will move from inside the tire to the outside of the tire throughthe puncture hole (7) due to the pressure difference. This pressuredifference and air flow will pull the flag material (3) into the hole(7). The flag material will be squeezed and stuck in the hole thusblocking it and stopping the loss of air from the tire.

Providing the sealing device as described herein as a roll having aholding strip with attached flags makes application of the deviceparticularly straightforward giving a uniform result. Alternatively, itis contemplated that the flags may be provided without a holding stripbut may be attached directly and individually to the interior surface ofa tire. For example, with reference to FIG. 8, the plurality of flagsmay be provided as a stack (e.g. similar to a deck of cards) where aselected flag is attached to a lower subsequent flag in the stack via anadhesive present along a fixed widthwise edge of the selected flag. Eachflag may then be “peeled” away from the stack and the same adhesivesurface used to stack the flags would then be attached to the tire. Insome embodiments, an additional adhesive may be applied for a strongerattachment to the tire. Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 9, each flag ofthe stack may have a protective backing (9) covering the adhesiveportion that is peeled away before the flag is applied to the tire,thus, the flags are not attached to each other in the stack. Anindividual flag removed from a stack is shown in FIG. 10.

Before exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described ingreater detail, it is to be understood that this invention is notlimited to particular embodiments described, as such may, of course,vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein isfor the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is notintended to be limiting, since the scope of the present invention willbe limited only by the appended claims.

Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that eachintervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unlessthe context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lowerlimit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in thatstated range, is encompassed within the invention. The upper and lowerlimits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in thesmaller ranges and are also encompassed within the invention, subject toany specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the statedrange includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either orboth of those included limits are also included in the invention.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods andmaterials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also beused in the practice or testing of the present invention, representativeillustrative methods and materials are now described.

All publications and patents cited in this specification are hereinincorporated by reference as if each individual publication or patentwere specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated byreference and are incorporated herein by reference to disclose anddescribe the methods and/or materials in connection with which thepublications are cited. The citation of any publication is for itsdisclosure prior to the filing date and should not be construed as anadmission that the present invention is not entitled to antedate suchpublication by virtue of prior invention. Further, the dates ofpublication provided may be different from the actual publication dateswhich may need to be independently confirmed.

It is noted that, as used herein and in the appended claims, thesingular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless thecontext clearly dictates otherwise. It is further noted that the claimsmay be drafted to exclude any optional element. As such, this statementis intended to serve as antecedent basis for use of such exclusiveterminology as “solely,” “only” and the like in connection with therecitation of claim elements, or use of a “negative” limitation.

As will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading thisdisclosure, each of the individual embodiments described and illustratedherein has discrete components and features which may be readilyseparated from or combined with the features of any of the other severalembodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the presentinvention. Any recited method can be carried out in the order of eventsrecited or in any other order which is logically possible.

While the invention has been described in terms of its preferredembodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the inventioncan be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of theappended claims. Accordingly, the present invention should not belimited to the embodiments as described above, but should furtherinclude all modifications and equivalents thereof within the spirit andscope of the description provided herein.

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A sealing device, comprising: a plurality offlexible flags arranged in a stack, wherein a selected flag is attachedto a lower subsequent flag in the stack via an adhesive present along afixed widthwise edge of the selected flag and wherein the plurality offlags are configured to seal a hole in the tubeless tire when the stripis attached to the inner surface of the tubeless tire.
 12. The sealingdevice of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of flags isrectangular in shape.
 13. The sealing device of claim 11, wherein theplurality of flags is manufactured from a material selected from thegroup consisting of polyethylene, nylon, cellophane polyethylene, andpolyester.
 14. A method of protecting a tubeless tire from punctures,comprising: attaching a plurality of flexible flags to an inner surfaceof the tire via an adhesive arranged between a fixed widthwise edge ofthe flag and the inner surface, wherein the plurality of flags areconfigured to seal a hole in the tubeless tire.
 15. The method of claim14, wherein the plurality of flags are arranged on a flexible holdingstrip, wherein the flexible holding strip has an adhesive layer on asurface opposite the plurality of flags, and wherein the strip isattached to the inner surface of the tubeless tire via the adhesivelayer.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein a protective backing isremoved from an adhesive present on the plurality of flexible flagsprior to the attaching step.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein theattaching step is performed such that a free widthwise edge of aselected flag of the plurality of flags extends beyond the fixedwidthwise edge of a subsequent flag of the plurality of flags.
 18. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the attaching step is performed such that adistance between each fixed widthwise edge of the plurality of flags iswithin a range of 2-10 cm.
 19. The method of claim 14, wherein each ofthe plurality of flags is rectangular in shape.
 20. The method of claim14, wherein the plurality of flags is manufactured from a materialselected from the group consisting of polyethylene, nylon, cellophanepolyethylene, and polyester.